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It’s no secret that Buffalo is a drinking town (like so many towns, right?), and as we approach football season (GO BILLS!), I’m determined to enjoy watch parties on Sunday without feeling horrible on Monday.
In my twenties, this wasn’t an issue. But in my… well, now, it’s something I have to consider.
Luckily, there are products to help. If you’ve been here for a while, you know all about my favorite wine filters, but what about all the other drinks out there?
Enter: ALKAA, the alcohol purifier for ANY drink.
What is ALKAA?
Here’s the scoop:
ALKAA comes in small sachets.
You put the sachet directly into your drink.
You gently swirl/stir it for about five minutes.
You can then remove the sachet, or leave it in, depending on the product/use instructions.
Each sachet can be used twice (if it’s for the same type of drink).
ALKAA says it’s designed for wine, beer, cocktails, and spirits, rather than being limited to wine like traditional wine-filter products.
What I appreciate right off the bat is that you don’t have to ingest it; it just goes right in the drink.
How does ALKAA work?
ALKAA says its sachets adsorb significant portions of seven major alcohol-related byproducts that can contribute to intolerance reactions. It also says the process doesn’t alter the beverage’s alcohol content or pH.
Here are the toxins ALKAA can capture, reducing your intake:
Acetaldehyde: A chemical byproduct created both during alcohol production and when your body breaks down alcohol, and it’s associated with symptoms such as flushing, headaches, nausea, and fatigue.
Histamine: A naturally occurring compound involved in the body’s immune and inflammatory responses that can also be produced during the fermentation and aging of alcoholic beverages.
Sulfites: Compounds that occur naturally in fermentation and are also commonly added to wine and some other drinks as preservatives to prevent oxidation and spoilage.
Tyramine: A naturally occurring compound formed when the amino acid tyrosine breaks down, and it is found in many fermented and aged foods as well as some alcoholic beverages.
Tannins: Plant compounds found in things like grape skins, seeds, stems, and wood barrels that give wine its characteristic dry, astringent mouthfeel.
Quercetin: A naturally occurring flavonoid found in many plants, including grapes and red wine, that has antioxidant properties and is being studied for its potential role in alcohol metabolism.
Phenylethylamine (PEA): A naturally occurring trace amine found in foods and beverages including red wine, chocolate, and aged cheeses that can affect the nervous and cardiovascular systems.
Glyphosate: A widely used herbicide that can occur in trace amounts in agricultural products and, according to ALKAA, may make its way into some alcoholic beverages through the crops used to produce them.
How I used ALKAA
ALKAA sent me a tin of their Classic Sachets to test. And I knew a Friday night at Bad Neighbors’ (craft cocktails + wings) soft opening would be the perfect place to try them out.
I kicked things off with a tequila-based cocktail. I tasted it first, added the ALKAA sachet, swirled, and let it do its thing for five minutes. Then, I removed the sachet (didn’t squeeze it) and enjoyed my drink.
I can report that it does NOT change the drink’s flavor or taste at all. It doesn’t change the color or aroma, either.
Next, I ordered a glass of sparkling wine. I grabbed a fresh sachet, swirled, waited, removed it, and drank. Cheers!
After closing out at Bad Neighbors (my friend and I had oysters, wings, fries, and onion rings – honestly, perfection), we hopped right next door to Fattey’s, my favorite beer joint.
I always get the #3 IPA, and I stuck with that. New sachet, you know the routine.
To note, I normally don’t drink three different types of alcohol in a night, but I really wanted to create a situation that would be ROUGH the next morning. I’m always here to put myself in the trenches for a blog review!
Some things I’ll note: I brought the entire tin with me for this outing since I knew my friend and I would both be trying this product and using multiple sachets. But you could easily slip a few in your wallet, or get the ones that come in a resealable pouch. The sachets are small (much smaller than a traditional tea bag).
I didn’t feel weird using it; one of the Bad Neighbors’ employees saw one of my discarded sachets on my plate when the table was cleared, and he asked about it, but other than that, I don’t think it’s something other people would notice.
Does ALKAA work?
The answer to this will likely be different for everyone. Our bodies are all different; we react to different things, etc.
However, I do think this product significantly changed the way I felt the next morning. I had three drinks Friday night, which isn’t out of the ordinary for me, but typically I wouldn’t have mixed alcohol types (I rarely drink hard alcohol).
I was planning on having a headache and possibly a stomach ache when I wokeup on Saturday.
I slept fine, and when I wokeup Saturday morning, I felt a little groggy with a very mild headache. Both of those feelings were gone once I was up and moving.
Honestly, I was impressed!
I’m not saying ALKAA will prevent a hangover, but from my experience, it reduced the symptoms I typically feel the next morning, which is a win.
ALKAA Pros and Cons
| ALKAA PROS | ALKAA CONS |
| Easy to use | You have to remember to bring/use it |
| Reduces hangover symptoms | Costs money |
| Works with any alcohol | Might feel weird using it in public |
| Convenient + less waste than other filters | |
| You don’t have to ingest anything |
Who is ALKAA for?
Not every product is for everyone, and of course, if you’re not someone who experiences any bad feelings after drinking, you don’t need this product.
But ALKAA is worth considering if you:
Notice certain unpleasant reactions after drinking
Want to experiment with reducing those reactions
Drink wine but also enjoy beer/cocktails/spirits
Don’t want to take a pill before/after drinking
Want something you can use only when you need it
I plan on continuing to use ALKAA, but likely not every time I have a drink. Many times, I only go out for one drink, and that is probably not a scenario that needs this product.
But if I’m planning on having multiple drinks (especially multiple drinks of the same type), for example, after the 48 Hour Film Project Awards Show next weekend, then yes, I’ll be putting these in my purse.
So, would I use ALKAA again?
Yes.
But here’s what I think is important: I don’t see this as some magical permission slip to drink without consequences. I see it as an interesting tool that, based on my experience, has made drinking more comfortable for me.
Have you tried ALKAA before, or a similar product? I’d love to hear about your experience.
This review is not sponsored — nor are any of the reviews on this blog. I am a beauty and wellness junkie and enjoy sharing the products I love right here! For more reviews and similar posts, please subscribe to the blog by clicking subscribe on the right side of your screen. Cheers!
The Bitter Lemon 